Showing posts with label Denver Element. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Denver Element. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

You're Invited to a Party, a Psycho Beach Party!

By Mona Lott

“Come stoned to this show,” Krystal Jackson yells out as the cast enthusiastically discusses what makes Psycho Beach Party worth coming to and responds to my question about how to sell it. The answers leading up to that comic outburst were more practical, telling me that the show is a “great laugh” and full of wonderful characters and “gender bender fun.” Admittedly that’s enough to get this drag queen to buy a ticket, but as I got to chat more with the director Stephen Tangedal and his lively, charming cast I was impressed at just how many other reasons there are to go see this show when it opens at The Crossroads Theater on Thursday, July 9.

Psycho Beach Party is a play by Charles Busch that spoofs those Gidget-led movies of the 1960’s and then tosses in some Hitchcock type thrills on top. Chicklet as played by Anthony Adu in this production is the leader of this romp on the beach and sports a very blonde wig as if to say "Barbie has arrived!" Of course this Barbie has multiple personalities and issues that Gidget never had to face. Tangedal, with a wink, remarks that every one of the cast members was typecast in this show even though that remark was followed by several, “not me” utterances from the cast. Truth be told though, when I walked into the room and was asked by Adu, “What character do you think I’m playing?” I immediately answered, “I’m guessing Chicklet.” 


I can spot a drag performer from a mile away! 


I’m assuming anyone could spot Hektor Munoz who plays Chicklet’s mother, Mrs. Forrest. Munoz stands (and I’m guessing) at six feet five inches and is desperately trying to get his hands on a pair of women’s size 18 pumps! When asked about how the drag roles have influenced this show, the cast was quick to reply that it’s just like playing any other character. Adu made a point of explaining that he has tried to find the truth in the character and is playing her as a real woman and working at not just being a boy in drag.

I knew after that answer that this cast is not just having fun, but are truly putting a lot of heart into the show. It was easy to see that they have a love for the characters and for each other with an assortment of answers to the question of who they would like to play if they weren’t playing the character that they are cast as. In true “Show Girls” fashion Daniel Wheeler who plays Yo Yo pointed a rigid finger at Adu and blurted out how he wanted to play Chicklet and had previously auditioned for the role several times. I warned Wheeler not to take the stairs when Adu is around. Ironically, the only male member of the cast who has never tried drag, Todd Moore, who is cast as Star Cat, was at ease with the honesty of admitting that he would like to play Mrs. Forrest. With a list of characters as diverse as the actual cast of this show, I could imagine them all spinning a wheel to determine just who they would play each night and an audience that would come back every time to see the mix.

Tangedal previously directed this show over twenty years ago and in his cast then was Shelly Bordas. Bordas, as Tangedal fondly remembers, was a much-loved member of the Denver theater community who lost her battle with breast cancer last January. Bordas’ young son will benefit from two added performances on July 24th and 25th with proceeds going towards his college fund. When asked why he decided to direct this show again, Tangedal mentioned Bordas and stated that he thought it was time to laugh again and to just have fun. It was obvious that this show holds a special memory of Bordas for Tangedal and her presence is sure to be felt during these added performances.

The remaining performances benefit the The Denver Element a part of Mile High Behaviorial Healthcare. The Denver Element states on their webpage that, “Our work, while building community, is to reduce the transmission of HIV through education of the gay and bi men in Denver on HIV stigma, Status Disclosure and Intimacy.” 


Cast member Anthony Fay spoke very eloquently detailing all the added services that The Denver Element includes, like social events and assistance for gay men with drug habits. Fay is doing double duty in the show as the assistant director and the character, Provoloney and was quick to add to the discussion of why people should come to this show, “It’s only ten bucks!”
 

Considering all the people who will benefit from this campy delight and the sheer evening of summertime joy and laughter that Tangedal and his cast are sure to deliver, the reasonable price point is only a small part of why people should come to this show. A bigger part of why to see this show is the camp and fun of reliving those beach blanket romps and the over the top, bigger than life characters being played out in gender bender style and the opportunity to try and figure out the mystery of “whodunnit.” And it that doesn’t influence you, there is an Opening Night luau on Friday July 10th with food and the possibility of getting lei’d! 

Psycho Beach Party runs Thursday, Friday, Saturday at Crossroads Theatre, 2590 Washington Street July 9th through the 25th with a special Cast Benefit Night on Tuesday July 21st. Tickets can be purchased in advance at here or at the box office.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Free STI & HIV Testing Today at The Denver Element

Head on down to The Denver ELEMENT at 655 Broadway, Suite 425 today for free STI and HIV testing!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Denver ELEMENT: The Grant and Pieter Show

Just stumbled across this video series from Denver ELEMENT. How cute are these guys?

Denver ELEMENT and Tracks Join Forces for The Red Party


The Denver ELEMENT and Tracks Nightclub are partnering to throw The Red Party this Friday, December 13.

Conceived as a dance party to celebrate how far the gay community has come in the fight
against AIDS, the fabulous DJ Nina Flowers will be providing the music for The Red Party and you will be providing the positive energy and your very finest ropa de color rojo (that means you should wear red clothes).

“We’ve made some really great advances but the epidemic is not yet over,” said ELEMENT’s Steve D’ascoli. “Red Party is a celebration for everybody to come out and show their support and celebrate how much we’ve accomplished. And all the funds raised will go to Denver ELEMENT and our programs.”

Part of The Mile High Council on Behavioral Health, Denver ELEMENT provides programs and services for Denver-based men who love men. Denver Pique is a social group for 18-24 year olds, Positive Impact is an intervention for gay, HIV-positive injection drug users, and Mile High Recovery Project is a substance abuse treatment program for gay men.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Denver ELEMENT - by, for, and about gay men!

At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Friday, October 5, 2012

The Denver ELEMENT - By, for, and about gay men

At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Help Wanted: Mile High Council/The Denver Element - Positive Impact Program Coordinator

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The Denver ELEMENT is seeking a creative and energetic individual who is intimately connected with Denver’s gay male community. The Positive Impact Program Coordinator will facilitate several small groups of HIV+ gay/bi men to help build HIV status disclosure and communications skills, and to create a supportive and empowering environment that result in a new social norm of reduced risk behaviors and reduced HIV infection in Denver’s gay/bi male community.  Extensive group facilitation, public speaking, and training experience are essential.  Strong knowledge of HIV and persons living with HIV is necessary. 

If interested, please email a letter of interest outlining your experience as it relates to this position, your résumé and salary requirements to sean@thedenverelement.com.  Submissions will be accepted through October 5, 2012.

Friday, September 28, 2012

The Denver ELEMENT Loves Gay Men

At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Friday, September 21, 2012

The Denver Element loves gay men!

At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Friday, September 14, 2012

Denver ELEMENT - By, For, and About Gay Men

At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Friday, September 7, 2012

The Denver Element Loves Gay Men!


At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Friday, August 24, 2012

The Denver Element loves gay men!

At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Friday, August 17, 2012

The Denver Element loves gay men!

At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Young gay men wanted for Denver Element survey

The Denver ELEMENT's newest program - Mpowerment - is in its infancy stage ... and they need your help in designing the best possible program.  If you are a Gay/Bi male 18 - 24, please complete the short survey below.  It's only a few questions, and will only take a few minutes to complete.  This will help Denver Element create great events that are relevant to young gay men in Denver!


The Mpowerment Project is a program by, for, and all about young gay/bi or questioning men ages 18 - 24.  This exciting program creates small and large events and social activities to provide alcohol and drug-free alternatives and to get young gay/bi men engaged in our community.  Some of the activities might include game/movie nights, hiking or camping trips, talent (or no-talent) shows, dinner nights, or a number of others.  The overall goal is to help young men in our community develop stronger social networks that help support stronger and healthier decisions and behaviors ... and that ultimately result in a reduction of HIV in our community.

But the bottom line (cough cough) is that the program and its activities are FUN and EMPOWERING!

Friday, August 10, 2012

Denver Element loves gay men!


At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Denver Element: By, for, and about gay men!


At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Calling gay/bi men ages 18-24: mPowerment Project needs your help!

Mpowerment Logo

 


The Denver ELEMENT's newest program - Mpowerment - is in its infancy stage ... and they need your help in designing the best possible program.  If you are a Gay/Bi male 18 - 24, please complete this short survey.  This will help them create great events that are relevant to young gay men in Denver!



The Mpowerment Project is a program by, for, and all about young gay/bi or questioning men ages 18 - 24.  This exciting program creates small and large events and social activities to provide alcohol and drug-free alternatives and to get young gay/bi men engaged in our community.  Some of the activities might include game/movie nights, hiking or camping trips, talent (or no-talent) shows, dinner nights, or a number of others.  The overall goal is to help young men in our community develop stronger social networks that help support stronger and healthier decisions and behaviors ... and that ultimately result in a reduction of HIV in our community.

But the bottom line (cough cough) is that the program and its activities are FUN and EMPOWERING!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Denver Element - We Love Gay Men!


At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!

Friday, July 20, 2012

The Denver ELEMENT - Moving from infancy to adolescence

ELEMENT-logo-grnwht 2From Sean Wolfe, Program Manager of The Denver ELEMENT:

BoyFriend-logo-red CollegeTouch-logo-prp-blkThe Denver ELEMENT was started three years ago to start a fresh and new conversation around HIV prevention to Denver's gay male community.  From the beginning, our main goal was to help gay/bi men become more educated about HIV in a way that was relevent to them and to today's social issues.  And equally important, to help gay men in our community become empowered and loving and supportive of one another ... whether they were friends or strangers.

Funded by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), we created two unique programs to help gay/bi men become more knowledgeable of HIV and prevention, and to strengthen our relationships with other gay/bi men.  Here is an overview of our accomplishments over the past 12 months (July 2011 - June 2012).

Touch Team was our HIV Education and Outreach program.  64 community members went through a minimum of 8 hours of training to be educated on HIV and risk reduction.  They assisted in outreach efforts at community venues where gay men gather, and talked with gay/bi men about empowering our community and reducing risk of HIV/STI infection.  34 of those volunteers underwent an additional 6 hours of POL training to develop skills on how to conduct conversations with their friends and social networks with target HIV prevention and risk reduction messages.  Between our outreach and POL volunteers, we held 1715 sexual health and risk reduction conversations with gay/bi men in Denver.  These 64 men have expressed a dramatic increase in their self-efficacy and their confidence in talking with other gay men about sexual health in our community.  And after over 1700 conversations in the community, talking openly and honestly about HIV without fear or judgment is well on its way to becoming the new social norm – which has always been one of our highest priorities.


Probe Community Conversations are frank and interactive community discussions of current topics relevant to gay men’s sexual health. We held 3 Probe Conversations at Club M, with each one averaging 40 – 50 gay/bi men in attendance (with approximately 70 “unique” attendees who may have attended more than one conversation).  Topics were Busting The Myths of HIV Prevention, It’s Better To Know Your Status, and What’s Safe To You (Risk Reduction Options).  Feedback from participants indicated that these conversations were fresh and new … and way overdue.  We focused strongly on a “menu of options” available to gay men when it comes to risk reduction – and not a condoms-only approach that has proven to be outdated and ineffective.  Men of all backgrounds and experiences felt safe and comfortable discussing sexual health issues, even when they did not agree on the solutions or outcomes.  The conversations were very powerful and empowering, and they set the tone for ongoing conversations in participants’ everyday lives outside of the formal setting in which they were conducted.


Boyfriend University:  34 gay/bi men attended the six-week course on building stronger relationships with other gay men.  These men learned how to determine what they want and need from a relationship, communication skills, risk-reduction negotiation skills, and general empowerment factors.  When they share that information with other friends and social networks, the community as a whole is engaged in stronger and more meaningful conversations around the empowerment of our community and the importance of taking care of our sexual health as part of our comprehensive and holistic well-being.


Overall, we have seen a very significant improvement in the ways in which our target population communicates with another around our sexual health and empowerment as a community.  Gay/bi men are engaged in conversations about risk reduction.  They see us out and about in outreach efforts and know who The Denver ELEMENT is and what we do for our community.  Most importantly, though, is that we hear over and over again how The Denver ELEMENT has helped gay men find value and worth in themselves and in our community.  Not that we provided it for them – but that we gave them the tools and resources to discover it in themselves.  We consider that the ultimate impact on our community!


Our grant funding for Touch Team, Probe, and Boyfriend University expired on June 30.  Though Touch Team and Boyfriend University are no longer funded programs for us, our work will continue!

The Denver ELEMENT is honored to have received new funding from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and continued funding from CDPHE to continue our work of HIV prevention for Denver's gay male community.  Our two new programs are Positive Impact and Mpowerment.  You can read more about both of those programs below.  Though both of these programs are designed for specific segments of the gay/bi male community, The Denver ELEMENT continues to support and empower ALL of Denver's gay male community, and we continue to partner with other agencies to ensure that ALL of our voices are heard and all of our needs are met.  WE LOVE GAY MEN!

We are very proud of the work we did with Touch Team and Boyfriend University.  And we are excited to grow and to expand our work with Denver's gay male community with our Positive Impact and Mpowerment programs.

Thank you for joining us on this journey!  We would not be The Denver ELEMENT without you!

Denver Element loves gay men!


At The Denver ELEMENT … WE LOVE GAY MEN!

And we want all of us to be as Strong, Healthy, and Empowered as we can be. We promote the journey of mental, physical, and social well-being for all gay men. We achieve this by providing opportunities for community building, personal growth, HIV/Substance use prevention, education, and the celebration of life.

Check out our Boyfriend University, Touch Team, Probe Community Conversations, and Healthy Relationships programs to see what all the excitement is about.

Whether you’re young or old … tall or short … positive or negative … pretty or prettier … there’s a place for you at ELEMENT. Join us in transforming Denver’s Gay Male Community!